


You don't know me, you just know my name.

by Melonfics



Category: Psychopath Diary (TV)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Choking Kink, Don't worry, Emotional Manipulation, Eventual Smut, Hybristophilia, I promise, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Light BDSM, M/M, Manipulation, Masochism, Murder Kink, Praise Kink, Slow Burn, Sorry I'm terrible, also dong sik has a bf, dong sik likes to get hit, he's a dick and an OC, hitting kink?, in-woo is coming to the rescue, lots of kinks, the writing gets better
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:55:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27023125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melonfics/pseuds/Melonfics
Summary: After witnessing a strange event at the construction site of Daehan’s new building, In-woo becomes intrigued by a lowly, miserable businessman who might be hiding more than he's willing to let on.In-woo hopes to confront him and find out why exactly he was there so late at night. And why does this remind him so much of a strange incident that happened eight years ago in Gwangju?Yook Dong-sik has been dealing with an abusive relationship that he can't seem to rid himself of. Maybe the pain is just too addictive--or maybe it just turns him on. Either way, he makes sure to write all his feelings down in his secret little journal. Well, maybe not just his feelings.Hilarity ensues as misunderstandings blossom once again between these two idiots!
Relationships: Seo Inwoo/Yook Dongsik
Comments: 53
Kudos: 132





	1. Nostalgia

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! this is my first fanfiction for this fandom and I'm kinda nervous. When I watched the Kdrama I was very disappointed to find out it wasn't a BL (so many YouTube videos led me on...) so I decided to take matters into my own hands and change that up! I have many ideas for these two so don't expect this to be the only story I write ;) i feel this pairing deserves way more considering how highkey obsessed in-woo became with dong-sik, like..girl...The stories i had conjuring in my head as I rewatched those scenes....( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the first chapter and let me know what you think! I would love to get some constructive criticism! Love you all and thank you for reading~~~

**Gwangju 2011**

Seo In-woo stood ominously outside the convenience store, watching the girl at the counter attend a customer with a tired smile on her face. He had been planning this for nearly a month now meticulously writing everything down in order to get it all right. One mishap and it was game over. He watched as she waved goodbye to the customer and returned her attention to the small screen of her phone, unaware of in-woo’s presence as he made his way into the store.

In-woo could feel his heartbeat quicken as he pretended to examine the energy drinks inside their refrigerated enclosure. He glanced back at the girl, who was now furiously texting someone, and took out his specially made drink from his coat pocket. He couldn't hold the grin from forming on his face. He turned around and began walking to the counter keeping his gaze on the worker. 

“Excuse me, are you busy?” her head snapped up in surprise, wide eyes looking In-woo up and down. 

“Oh no, sorry. How can I help you?” he didn't even have to fake a smile as he prepared to answer her.

“I was just looking around but couldn’t find what I wanted,” to emphasize, he emitted a long sigh glancing around the convenience store. Before she could speak, he reached into his coat taking out the small bottle. “But I noticed you seemed a bit tired. Here,” he offered her the drink taking notice as her face flushed a light pink.

“Ah, that..sorry. Thank you,” just as he had expected. Being sleep deprived was almost as effective as being drugged. How careless for someone to take something from a stranger.

Her hand extended and In-woo held his breath waiting for her to take the bottle, when there was a loud crash behind him, startling them both. He looked back to see a guy on the floor surrounded by random merchandise. In-woo felt his eye twitch as he watched the man attempt to sit up, hissing in pain at the unwanted movement.

“Oh my,” the worker retracted her hand, her attention now solely on the person on the floor. “Sorry, let me just--” she made her way from the counter approaching the man hurriedly.  _ Dammit. _

In-woo could feel his disappointment growing as she began asking the dolt if he was okay. He watched as the guy’s unruly poof of hair bobbed up and down answering the girl with nothing but simple head shakes and obnoxiously loud noises. 

This was starting to get very annoying. In-woo sighed loudly placing the drink on the counter, leisurely approaching them both. He carefully pulled the worker aside as she prepared to lift the guy from the floor.

“Let me,” he smiled at her taking hold of the buffoon’s arm.  _ What a waste of a perfect murder plan. _

He roughly pulled the guy up and repressed a smile when he heard him groan at the force. Apparently he’d pulled him a bit too harshly as the guy came hurling into In-woo’s chest causing them both to stumble backwards, slamming into the counter and knocking the drink to the floor. This night couldn't get any better.

“Are you alright?” he’d almost forgotten the worker (not moments ago his murder victim) was still there, observing them curiously. The man atop him moaned uncomfortably, and aside from his growing headache, in-woo was in good shape.

“Yeah, no problem. I'll take care of him,” the statement made him cringe as he lifted the guy off him, placing his arm around his surprisingly thin waist.  _ Have to take out the trash. _

“Thank you. Is he your friend?” she made her way back behind the counter, eyes trained on In-woo.

“Um, something like that,” he grinned hoping to seem somewhat convincing. The girl merely nodded, waving awkwardly as In-woo at last exited the store. When he was finally out of view he  tossed the stranger to the floor, waiting for him to acknowledge who he was in the presence of. This moron had ruined everything-- a whole month’s worth of planning! In-woo wanted to go ahead and just murder him instead.

“Hey, dumbass. Get up,” the guy made no move to listen to In-woo and instead remained on the floor. In-woo watched as his chest rose and fell steadily. Was the guy asleep?

“Did you hear me? Hey!” he reached for his shirt, lifting him from the floor and In-woo watched as his head dipped back. The guy was definitely asleep. What a waste of oxygen. He shook him violently and stopped when he felt the man begin to stir.

“Eh? Is it morning already?” he yawned, lifting his glasses to wipe his eyes. In-woo couldn't believe what he was witnessing.

“How much did you drink??” he heard the guy chuckle as he inched away from In-woo, attempting to get up from the floor.

“Ah, I'm falling,” he giggled, taking hold of In-woo’s arm to steady himself. He was beginning to feel nauseous from being in the presence of such an inferior life form. At last the man succeeded in standing instead of laying haphazardly across the ground, albeit still using in-woo as support. He tried focusing on the guy’s annoyingly squish-able face to avoid strangling him to death.

“Thank you..for the help,” the guy giggled, eyeing their interlocked arms. In-woo groaned, rolling his eyes, and forcibly removed the man from his hold. Now that his plans had been ruined, he might as well start making his way home. He stepped away from the stranger and watched in amusement as he swayed back and forth.

“What, you’re leaving?” In-woo closed his eyes, nodding slowly. There was no point in wasting his breath on this chump. 

“Where?” in-woo looked to the sky as if in thought and returned his gaze to the man in front of him, “To the moon,” The guy stared at In-woo with a blank look, seeming to process what he had said. He leaned on his right leg, tapping on his chin, and before he could respond to In-woo’s outrageous statement, a loud ringing startled them both.

The stranger seemed confused before he noticed the ringing was coming from his phone. He took it from his back pocket and answered it.

“Hello?” In-woo’s gaze fell back on the convenience store. Maybe he still had time…

“Ah, no sir. I'm sorry, I'll be home immediately,” the sudden change of tone made In-woo’s attention settle back on the source of his growing headache. This was interesting.

The stranger had his gaze fixated on the floor, his eyes now fully alert. He almost seemed...on edge.

“Yes. I'm sorry. I'll be there, sir.” he felt his eyebrow twitch at the formality. Heh, what a joke.

“Uh, in Gwangju…” he lowered the phone and glanced around taking in his surroundings.  “Near that convenience store,” In-woo felt his curiosity spiking by the second. Maybe his night hadn’t been  _ completely _ ruined. 

There were a few more exchanges of words, and when In-woo saw the guy lowering the phone to hang up, he quickly snapped his head back in the direction of the convenience store pretending to look uninterested in the phone call. At least manners existed somewhere within that wimpy body of his.

“Thank you for your help. I hope you get home safely,” the stranger bowed respectfully and  began making his way to a nearby crossroad, not giving In-woo a second glance. 

“Uh, wait!” the guy stopped in his tracks turning around to acknowledge In-woo. 

“Not gonna tell me your name?” he gave him an incredulous look, which In-woo thought was hilarious coming from the weirdo who’d stumbled into a convenience store drunk off his ass, but chose to ignore the gesture. 

“It's Dong-sik. Yook dong-sik,” he smiled awkwardly and speed walked his way to a black car that had seemingly appeared out of thin air.

In-woo remained standing there long after the car had driven away transfixed by the way  everything had played out.

“Yook Dong-sik. What a boring name,” he huffed out a dry laugh making his way to his car. On the drive home, he was thinking of all the possible ways Yook Dong-sik could die tonight, and was satisfied with the thought that he would never have to see him again in his life.

  
  
  


**2019**

Seo In-woo stared down at his dinner plate, mindlessly shoving pieces of steak into his mouth. It seemed Ji-hoon was having a harder time crawling his way out of yet another one of his poorly made decisions. When In-woo received the news of Ji-hoon’s mishap with Yuseong Biomedi, he wasn't the least bit surprised. What was more surprising was the fact that Ji-hoon hadn’t done this sooner when he was appointed director of Daehan Securities. Well, whatever. This was the perfect opportunity for In-woo to slither his way in hopefully as discreetly as possible. 

His father cleared his throat grabbing the attention of everyone at the table.

“I expect the situation to be sorted out soon, correct?” In-woo’s eyes landed on his half-brother who glanced nervously at the chairman.

“Of course. It’s all under control,” he resisted the urge to grin at the obvious lie. Ji-hoon was fumbling around like an idiot allowing a simple worker to completely turn the tables on him.  Though he had to thank the analyst for making Ji-hoon look so bad. In-woo brought his attention back to his food.

His father had remained rather neutral throughout the ordeal but In-woo could tell he was slowly beginning to lose his patience. He stabbed a piece of meat on his plate, gritting his teeth. This was proof enough that Ji-hoon was not capable of such a responsibility and yet his father somehow couldn't acknowledge that. His eyes found their way to Ji-hoon, watching as he anxiously shifted his food on his plate, avoiding eye-contact with everyone.  _ If only there was a faster way to get rid of this idiot. _

As dinner came to an end, In-woo found himself itching to ram Ji-hoon’s head into the wall, or slit his throat with one of his favorite knives. The fact that he couldn’t do either of those things stressed him out to the point where he hadn’t even noticed he’d gotten in his car and started making his way onto the road. The night time always worked better for him-- and a ride around the city could help clear his mind.

  
  


Nevertheless, Ji-hoon’s misery had put In-woo in a widely good mood. All things considered, this was probably for the best. If not for the careless worker who had submitted the report, In-woo would have probably murdered someone by now. Though he had not attempted to do so since the mess in Gwangju a couple of years back. The memory made him scowl.

Best not to think about it lest his good mood be ruined. He made a sharp turn and pulled up to the construction sight where one of Daehan’s new buildings was being erected. He parked nearby, his eyes scanning the building up and down. He liked to think that by the time it was finished, he would be the director of Daehan and ji-hoon would be long gone--hopefully permanently.

He chuckled at the thought and watched as several people made their way past the building, unaware of In-woo’s presence. Completely vulnerable.  _ All so easy to kill… _

He closed his eyes for a while attempting to clear his mind. There was no point in wasting energy on thinking about killing Ji-hoon no matter how nice it made him feel. Instead he should  plan on how he could get rid of him in a more...lawful way. Considering Ji-hoon’s terrible anger management, In-woo could probably put that to good use. Somehow… 

After a while of brainstorming he cracked his eyes open surprised to see the moon shining against the now dark sky. He'd been here longer than he had anticipated. He sat up slowly wincing at the pain in his neck.

“Ah, so annoying,” he massaged it leisurely attempting to ease the stiffness from being in an uncomfortable position for so long. While doing that he noticed someone in his peripheral vision walking wearily on the sidewalk.

His eyes followed the man, clad in a business suit, moping his way past In-woo’s car, head hung low. In-woo grimaced at the sight. Maybe he’d just gotten laid off. 

Yet, something seemed oddly familiar about him. In-woo wasn’t sure what it was. He watched as the guy paused in front of the building, his hand coming up to scratch his unruly hair. It seemed he was considering something. At last he moved, making his way towards the fence separating  civilians from entering the construction sight, sluggishly slithering his way in. 

In-woo sat up watching as the man inched closer to the building, his head drooped low, before finally disappearing inside. Well, this was...interesting. 

He leaned back in his seat, eyes trained on the entrance. The guy didn't seem to care whether someone had seen him or not, though there was no one here aside from him. It was late (10:38 PM to be exact), so no one would be at the construction site right now, and he looked like he’d just come from a very crappy day at work…

The conclusion he’d come to wasn't much of a surprising one. It made sense. Not many people had the desire to live nowadays. In-woo huffed out, shaking his head. He wasn't made to think in such a demeaning way-- In-woo was born for greatness. He couldn't be grouped with the morons of the lower class. It's a good thing they realized what a waste of space they were before someone else decided to do something about it. What a miserable life to live with a mind like that. He decided to wait a while. Who knows? Maybe he got to see something fun.

After about twenty minutes passed In-woo felt his disappointment grow. Had he been wrong? Maybe the guy just wanted to spend some time alone after work. But, who goes to a construction site to pass the time? 

  
“Tsk, boring,” well at least he was able to clear his mind a little. He put his key into the ignition, but before he could begin to make his way back home, a balck car came to a sudden stop in front of the building. In-woo halted his movements, feeling a strange sense of deja-vu. _Has this_ _ spot become popular overnight or something?  _ If so, he should probably send people to keep watch over it. He didn't want any weirdos making this place their home. 

A few minutes passed before the business man from earlier stepped outside, his hair now tied up messily and his suit unbuttoned from the front. In-woo squinted, noticing a dark stain on his white shirt before it was covered by his coat. The man grimaced at the car in front of him and mouthed something to the driver that In-woo was unable to make out.

There were a few moments of frustrated hand movements before the guy reluctantly opened the door hopping inside. In-woo watched as the car sped off leaving behind a trail of smoke as well as a very confused and disoriented feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

What had that guy done in there for him to come out looking so disheveled? The question lingered in the recess of In-woo’s mind as he started his car up cautiously making his way back home. He stopped at a red light, and while biting his fingernail, a thought came to mind. Well not necessarily a thought, but a memory. An amusing one.

Something that had happened eight years ago in Gwangju. The light turned green prompting In-woo to place his hand back on the steering wheel. Right, that night something strange had happened. The annoying stranger that foiled his plans had gotten a phone call, which had seemed interesting, and then left in a black car that had magically appeared out of nowhere. The situation was eerily similar to tonight’s.

“Damn, what did he say his name was?” he pulled into his driveway and quickly shut off the vehicle, his back resting on the seat. He could barely even remember the guy’s face no less his name. 

“Aish, what a shitty day,” and with that In-woo swung open the car door, slamming it closed before angrily marching his way inside the house. And yet, He couldn't help but think of the man at the construction site or the questionable stain on his cheap suit as he rapidly undressed himself in the bathroom. 

Whoever the guy was, it didn't matter. He was a nobody to him. Yes, a nobody...who had somehow found a way to infiltrate In-woo’s mind.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Mistakes Happen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi~~ Sorry this took so long I just really hate my writing right now!

In-woo fidgeted with the cuff of his sleeve feeling an incoming yawn. He stifled it, glancing at his wrist. 11: 50 AM. He took in a deep breath forcing his eyes to focus on the person in front of him. The man hadn't seemed to notice his lack of enthusiasm and continued on with explaining whatever it was they had been discussing earlier. The meeting was unavoidable and quite necessary considering the blow Daehan had taken thanks to Ji-hoon’s negligence.  _ What a nuisance. _

In-woo’s mind began to roam once again to that strange night two days ago. More specifically, the mystery man that had been at the construction site. After getting home and taking a long hot shower, he couldn’t help but be curious about the events that had unfolded as he watched from afar in his car. Why had he been there so late? What had he been doing there all alone? Not only that but the way he had left was also slightly peculiar. A black car waiting right outside for him. How convenient.

_ or maybe he had just called a friend to pick him up. _

The man's frustrated face was brought to the forefront of his mind. He'd looked annoyed at whoever had gone to pick him up, making large gestures before angrily hopping inside. They must have been arguing about something. _Maybe...they picked him up too soon?_

But what had really caught In-woo's attention had been the dark stain on the man's dress shirt. There was no mistaking it-- that had definitely been blood. In-woo had gone on enough hunting trips with his dad to be sure about that. He'd considered a theory as he went over all the details in his head while he laid in bed, although the likelihood of it being true wasn't that favorable. If the guy had really done what in-woo was proposing then...

“I really hope you’ll be taking my offer into consideration,” In-woo was pulled from his thoughts, head snapping in place to look at the person in question. The man (Mr. Kim) shifted in his seat taking a sip of his water before slowly placing the cup back on the table. 

“I wouldn't know who else to give it to anyway!” Mr. Kim gave a guttural laugh which In-woo found to be incredibly detestable. He returned it with a small chuckle of his own waiting for the man to calm his breathing down before speaking. 

“Yes, of course. I believe certain steps must be taken in order for things to run smoothly,” he hated having his thoughts interrupted but in-woo should know better then to do that in front of a potential client. The older man leaned back humming in agreement. A light buzz on the table brought his attention to his phone whose screen lit up indicating an incoming call.

“Go ahead, I’m sure it’s important,” the man smiled, turning his attention back to the folder in his hands. ain-woo grabbed the device checking the caller ID.

“Excuse me,” he tried his best to seem apologetic before opting to just bow slightly, answering the call.

“Yes, Ms. Jo?” he tilted his body away from him hoping to achieve some form of privacy.

“Hello, Mr. Seo. I hope the meeting is going well,” In-woo grimaced at the response clearing his throat. Ms. Jo seemed to sense his impatience before quickly filling the silence.

“Well, I just wanted to let you know how it went with the analyst today,” Oh, right. He had nearly forgotten about that.

“It seems he’s being forced to take the blame for everything but he won't admit to it. I feel this is quite unnecessary considering his position right now,” she paused for a moment before continuing once again.

“I suppose he really is what they say-- nothing but a pushover. I'll make sure he admits the truth no matter what,” In-woo could sense her determination. She was always so meticulous when it came to performing her duties. He liked that about her-- all business and nothing else.

“Right, I can trust you will get the job done,” he lowered the phone than thought against it, raising it back to his ear, “Can you tell me what the name of this worker is?”

“Ah, sorry. His name is Yook Dong-Sik,” for a moment In-woo felt a strange sense of familiarity, almost as if he had heard the name somewhere before.  _ Yook Dong-sik, huh? _ He gave a hum of acknowledgment hearing a shuffling of papers on the other end of the call.

“I guess I’ll leave it to you then. Thank you, Ms. Jo. I was right to have appointed you as my secretary,” he heard her give a quip thanks before quickly ending the call. The news made him slightly irritated considering that it wasn't going how he wanted, but the guy would come around eventually. He placed his phone on the table turning his attention back to the man in front of him. If not, In-woo had other methods he was willing to try.

“Y’know for someone so young you are very keen on these sorts of things. I’m very impressed with you Mister Seo In-woo,”  _ should I just leave?  _ In-woo ignored the thought instead giving Mr. Kim a kind smile

“Of course, thank you Mr. Kim,” his hands found their way back to his sleeve twiddling it between his fingers. He usually didn't like going to restaurants for these sort of business talks but Mr. Kim was someone highly influential in this particular field and had insisted on meeting with In-woo here. There was no way he was going to deny that offer-- especially if it made him stand apart from his idiotic brother. 

“So, you and your brother must be very close, correct?” In-woo felt his eye twitch at the question. Was it really necessary to ask that? He let out a small sigh, his lips stretching into a tight smile.  _ Fuck this old man and his company. _

“Like two peas in a pod,” he gave hom a closed eyes smile, hoping to come off as genuine as possible. He’d probably be closer to Ji-hoon when he was dead. Or probably when In-woo drove a knife through his chest. 

“Haha! Right, you must be!” his laughter almost seemed mocking, antagonizing In-woo further. Why was everyone always so curious about Ji-hoon? He glanced at the fork on his plate, envisioning himself driving it through the old man’s eye socket. Oh, how nice that would feel. To see him stumble moronically, crying for help, blood dripping down his face. The man’s unexpected tumultuous coughing brought In-woo out of his mind. He watched in surprise as Mr. Kim struggled to breathe, his face slowly turning a dark red, eyes wide. In-woo resisted the urge to burst into laughter. 

“Are you alright, sir?” he feigned concern leaning onto the table to get a closer look at him, observing in amusement as Mr. Kim struggled to breath, his tongue sticking out in an almost comical way. He was almost tempted to leave him like this and see how it all played out. The man shook his head attempting to nod before pointing his finger towards In-woo’s full glass of water. 

“Ack..I-I think I got something stuck,” he heaved out. In-woo reluctantly grabbed the glass placing it near the old man. He watched in anticipation as he gulped it down, before slamming the empty cup on the table.

“Agh, that was a close call!” he chuckled at In-woo who gave him an incredulous look. 

“Yeah, you scared me Mr. Kim. You should be more careful when eating,” he grit his teeth leaning back in his seat.  _ Damn, What a shame. _

  
  
  
  


After a while of talking they both came to a mutual agreement as well as a date for a second meeting. Mr. Kim had been quite professional (aside from the choking fiasco and the bothersome questions regarding his brother) although his desire for a second meeting seemed rather futile to In-woo. Their ideas were not far off in regards to Daehan and any future affiliation with Mr. Kim’s company..so what was the point? 

“Thank you once again, Mr. Seo I’m looking forward to speaking with you soon,” In-woo shook the man’s hand and bowed respectfully. What an annoying nut. If it weren’t for the man’s importance he would've walked out ages ago.

“Of course. The same goes for me,” he gave the man the best fake smile he could muster before making his way out of the fancy restaurant.  _ Well, that’s one thing out of the way.  _ It’s not like he had to try hard to impress the old man anyway. People were so fickle.

He sat in his car for a while drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, wandering idly whether he should visit Daehan. Maybe check and see how Ji-hoon was holding up. It would be nice to see him suffering for a while. With his mind made up, he started the car making his way to the building.

  
  
  
  
  


“Hello, Mr. Seo!” several workers greeted him as he walked inside the elevator. He bowed back politely, satisfied that none of them had decided to walk in with him.  _ Good, everyone here knows their place.  _

In-woo pressed his desired floor resting his body on the wall behind him. He hadn't been getting much sleep lately, but what was new? 

The elevator doors opened with a ding, prompting In-woo to step out. He glanced around the room taking in the miserable workers who sat obediently in front of their computers. No one seemed to notice his presence all much too engrossed in their work. 

“Ah! Mr. Seo? What are you doing here?!” the question came from beside him and In-woo turned to acknowledge the person responsible.

“Hm? Well, I just decided to stop by, check and see how things are going,” he gave him a small smile hoping to appear as friendly and inviting as possible.  _ Fuck so annoying.  _

“Oh, really? Well, Mr. Gong is in his office right now, if you wish to speak to him! I can call him over if you’d like?”  _ Mr. who?  _ The shorter male almost seemed a little too eager for In-woo’s liking. He nodded at the invitation and watched as he scurried away to the said office. What a leech. The guy was probably a lap dog for whoever was the supervisor in charge of this department. 

It seemed everyone else had now noticed him as they all hurriedly stood from their seats giving uncoordinated bows.

“Hello, Mr. Seo! Nice to see you sir!” In-woo greeted them back giving polite bows. Nothing but charm. Although, now that he was looking more closely, it seemed someone was missing from the group. As they all began to take their seats In-woo cleared his throat grabbing the attention of a nearby female employee.

“Excuse me, is someone not at work today?” she seemed surprised by his sudden questioning her face flushing a bright red.

“A-ah, well, it has to be Yook Dong-sik! He was here earlier but I think he had to step out for a moment,”  _ Yook Dong-sik? So he’s in this department? _ Her eyes suddenly widened, before diverting back to In-woo’s face, “Oh, there he is!” at last he could put a face to the infamous analyst.

He turned around only for his eyes to have the same reaction as the female employee. Now this was completely unexpected. He stared at the man in front of him, who was busy wiping his hands on his dress pants to acknowledge In-woo’s ogling. 

_ The hair, the cheap suit, that face _ \-- it was definitely him, no doubt about it. His mystery man from the construction site. But how was he here in Daehan? And how had In-woo not known about him sooner? 

His eyes followed him as the man (Yook Dong-sik) carefully walked to his seat, tapping away at his keyboard, completely oblivious to In-woo’s gaze. His sudden appearance had happened so quickly In-woo had to blink a few times to make sure he wasn't just a fabrication of in-woo’s fatigued mind.

Yep, still there.

_ I guess that’s one way to make up for this morning. _ In-woo could feel a tingle of excitement wash throughout his body. At last, something interesting. A sudden tap on his shoulder forced him to look away, meeting face to face with the lap-dog from earlier.

“Eh, Mr. Gong is here sir,” In-woo reluctantly faced him straightening his coat and giving the man his undivided attention.  _ First get rid of the nuisance.  _ He resisted the urge to groan out loud.

“Hello, Mr. Seo In-woo! It’s a pleasure to see you here!” In-woo winced at the man’s loudness giving him a smile and a curt bow. He was beginning to feel restless from all this needless social interaction.

“Likewise,” he replied as calmly as he could. Mr. Gong nodded eagerly waiting for In-woo to speak with him. Right, he had to say something.

“Ahem, I was just taking a look around, no need to worry. You can go back to your office if you'd like,” Mr. Gong seemed slightly taken aback before he regained his composure, nodding like a moron once again.  _ Please go away already you useless halfwit.  _ In-woo was itching to speak with the guy-- well Yook Dong-sik. He was itching to speak with Yook Dong-sik.

“Oh, okay. Well, if you need anything you can just knock on my door. Or--just ask Jaeho, here!” they both smiled dumbly at him before at last walking away leaving In-woo with some much needed personal space. At last. His eyes landed on the poof of familiar hair, a stark contrast against the synonymous sea of heads. He straightened his back sauntering towards Dong-sik, eyes focused on his prey.  _ You won't slip away this time. _

When he was at last standing beside him, In-woo leaned over tapping him on the shoulder. Dong-sik’s head snapped up in surprise giving In-woo a startled look.

“Uh, hello. How can I help you?” The casualness of his tone caused some workers to pop their heads towards their direction before quickly looking away at the sight of In-woo’s annoyed glare. He wasn’t sure if Dong-sik had meant to speak to him like that but he chose to ignore it for now. There were more pressing matters that needed tending to.

“You’re Yook Dong-sik, correct?” he slowly bobbed his head up and down, eyebrows scrunched in confusion. In-woo smiled at him hoping it would make the other man feel slightly more at ease. He couldn't believe he was standing mere inches away from the person who had been consuming his thoughts for nearly two days now. It was almost laughable!

“It’s nice to meet you,” Dong-sik’s head lowered slightly, his face now showing signs of irritation.  _ Is he annoyed at me? _ He sure has some nerve considering his current predicament.

“Can I have a word with you? In private?” This seemed to elicit a response from Dong-sik who’s demeanor immediately shifted to one of anxiousness. 

“O-oh, of course,” he stood up and meekly followed In-woo outside of the room leaving his nosy coworkers behind. The walk there was silent which In-woo didn’t mind. It was only obvious a mere nobody like Dong-sik would react in such a way. But, maybe there was a chance this nobody, this ant, could prove to be entertaining to him. If not, then, In-woo could always just kill him. Who would dare get his hopes so high and leave him devastated in disappointment? 

Once they were in a relatively quiet area, In-woo cleared his throat prepared to begin the conversation.

“You seem a little nervous,” Dong-sik, who had been staring at the ground, quickly looked up to meet In-woo’s gaze. 

“Really? Well...I’m,” he closed his mouth scratching the back of his head. In-woo’s eyes followed the movement, considering how to continue the conversation. Should he bring it up now? Dong-sik didn't seem too eager to talk, instead opting to look at anywhere but him. 

“Is this about the report I submitted?” The question was expected considering how Dong-sik had just spoken to Ms. Jo earlier in the day. In-woo sighed contemplating whether he should answer him truthfully or not. Dong-sik shuffled in his spot waiting for In-woo’s reply. At last he opened his mouth to speak.

“Why were you at the construction site for Daehan’s new building?” In-woo observed as Dong-sik stiffened at the question. 

In-woo couldn't stop the smile from forming on his face. For the first time they had been out here, Dong-sik locked eyes with him, gaze steady. 

_ Tell me Dong-sik, why were you there so late at night looking so suspicious? What did you do inside that building?  _ He grit his teeth, eyes locked on the man before him. 

_ And the blood? Whose did it belong to? _ He could feel his hands get clammy with sweat as Dong-sik prepared to answer him.  _ Come on, tell me! _

“What are you talking about? Aren't you here to ask me about the report? What's this about a building?” his eyes darted from In-woo’s face as he became a stuttering mess once again. In-woo stood there, unmoving, eyes trained on the person in front of him. The response was almost like a slap to the face. 

_ Is this guy joking?? _ In-woo let out a breath bringing his fingernails to his mouth before roughly slamming his arm back to his side. The sound was enough to startle Dong-sik, who was now quivering in front of him.

  
  


“Don't act innocent. I saw you there the other night,” his voice came out sharper than he had intended, but who could blame him? He'd been looking forward to this for two days now, all for it to come crashing down. 

No, maybe he's lying. Of course, he had to be. Who would be dumb enough to reveal themselves to a complete stranger? And yet, In-woo found himself doubting that theory seeing as how terrified the man in front of him was.

_Is this guy even capable of murder?_ Dong-sik gave him a puzzled look which only annoyed In-woo further. 

“I'm sorry, sir, but I don't know what you’re talking about,” he almost seemed concerned over him.

“What do you mean? Are you playing with me right now?” he took a step towards him causing Dong-sik to stumble back in response. In-woo watched as the other male trembled underneath his glare, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but here. This made no sense. The guy he had seen that night was definitely him. So, why was he saying this? Did In-woo really mistake him? 

“I-Im really sorry. I'm not sure what I did wrong,” Yeah, this was pointless. In-woo stepped back giving Dong-sik more space. “But if it’s about the report, then you don’t have to worry about that!” In-woo felt his brow twitch. Just shut up about the damn report already!

“I will be telling my truth soon. So p-please, be patient with me,” he rolled his eyes at the plea, looking Dong-sik up and down. 

What a fucking disappointment. 

Dong-sik raised his head before quickly looking away. 

  
  


_ Ah, just get out of my sight already. _

  
  
  
  


Now he was in a worse mood than he had been in the morning. He cleared his throat grabbing the attention of the other male.

“Right, sorry for bothering you. I Guess I must've gotten you mixed up with someone else,” Dong-sik seemed to relax at his words although he still seemed slightly shaken up. 

“I-it’s alright. That happens sometimes,” he smiled timidly ruffling the mass of curls on his head. “Have a nice day then,” with that, he gave In-woo a sloppy bow before scurrying his way back to the room. In-woo remained standing there staring at Dong-sik’s retreating figure until he was at last out of sight. 

  
  
  


Had he been mistaken? 

  
  
  
  


That night, when Dong-sik had walked out of the building, his hair a mess and his suit all dirty, In-woo had been so sure about it. That maybe, he had done something unspeakable in there. Something In-woo had been yearning to do. Something they could both understand, that everyone else’s pathetic and weak minds could never even begin to comprehend.

But instead he had been met with some fragile dimwit willing to do anything for people who could probably give two shits about him. He grimaced, remembering his conversation with Ms. Jo earlier.

_ “I suppose he really is what they say-- nothing but a pushover.” _

A pushover, huh? In-woo shook his head a grin forming on his mouth at the realization. Then he probably had been right about that night (well right about one thing). Maybe Dong-sik really did go to the construction site to end it all, but simply had a change of heart. In-woo found that infuriating. He should've just fucking did it.

What difference would it have made if the guy had died? The sun would still rise the next day, the stars would still shine in the night, and everything would be just fine. And yet he still chooses to live his meaningful life-- still keeps  _ fighting.  _ His arms fell to his side, eyes narrowing at the thought.

“Alright, then  _ fight _ ,” he murmured under his breath. His mind had been made up. The conversation with Dong-sik had been enough proof to In-woo that he was just another piece of worthless third-rate trash. He was angry. Angry that he had wasted time thinking about him. That somewhere inside him he’d hoped that Dong-sik would turn out to be a person he could confide in. Someone he could possibly trust.

_ “Damn it!”  _ In-woo turned on his heel storming his way out of the building.  _ Let's see just how good you are at staying alive, Yook Dong-sik. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so i kept rewriting this Chapter over and over because i just wasn't satisfied with the end result and then just said-- fuck it-- and decided to post. I'm sorry if this is a bit boring I just suck so much at writing plot cause I have the attention span of a literal 8 year old and can't be bothered with righting boring stuff (apparently plot development is very boring to me). Maybe it's just cause I suck at writing in general?? Idk I just hate this chapter so muchh!! Trust me the next one is so much better and more exciting! anyways, enough of my ranting. Tell me what you guys think, constructive criticism is much appreciated. 
> 
> Next update coming soon :)


	3. My dear Enigma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, here we go! sorry for taking so long...I've just been procrastinating a lot and I have no idea how to fix it ;; um anyways i hope you guys enjoy this long chapter :') I'll try to upload faster but I can't make any promises...just let me know what you think. I always love reading you guy's comments! they make me so happy and motivate me to write when i feel like giving up! so thank you :')) and please have patience with me..I really want to finish this story lol

The night had been one of restless tossing and turning, keeping In-woo wide awake. He didn't even wait for his alarm to ring, opting to run all the way to the park, his conversation with Dong-sik at the foreground of his mind.

  
  


How could he have been so stupid?

  
  


He rounded a corner falling into a comfortable rhythm. Right foot, breath in, Left foot, breath out. He'd been so sure about Dong-sik being the person from that night that the idea of it not being him hadn't even crossed his mind, until the other male had firmly denied his accusations. Of course, there was a chance Dong-sik could be lying to him, but In-woo had already made up his mind. Even if Dong-sik had been the guy from that night, he didn't care anymore. He was going to kill him. 

_ How dare he make such a fool of me?  _ His mouth contorted into an angry scowl, remembering the startled look on the other’s face. What an idiot. Judging by the guy’s reaction it was obvious he was the person in question, and yet he still had the guts to lie to In-woo’s face. Did he not know who he was? In-woo found himself unable to continue with his jog, instead plopping down on one of the benches scattered throughout the park.

His body was restless with pent up frustration. Not only was Dong-sik being a pain in his ass, his father was continuing to turn a blind eye towards Ji-hoon’s inability to fix his mess. In-woo sighed, leaning his head on the back of the bench, eyes shut tight.

  
  


Maybe killing Dong-sik could relieve some of his stress?

A light breeze ruffled his hair, cooling the thin sheet of sweat that adorned his forehead. He would begin planning the idiot’s murder today, and this time, he wouldn’t fail. He bit his lip, eyebrows creasing. And yet, there was something still bothering him. If Dong-sik had been there that night to take his life, why had his shirt been stained with blood? The detail had been disturbing him for a while now considering he was unable to come up with a proper conclusion.

It could be that maybe he had tried...stabbing himself in the chest? No, that's foolish. And too messy. Not only that but his chances of survival are too high. In-woo crossed his legs, massaging his temple.  _ Then what is it? _ He let out an exasperated sigh, eyes still firmly shut. 

_ Maybe I was just seeing things.  _ But then again, In-woo wasn't the type to make mistakes like that. Only normal people would do something that stupid. In-woo was a very observant person- therefore his chances of making mistakes were slim to none. But...

_ But why am I struggling so much with this? _

  
  
  
  
  
  


His thoughts were interrupted by a loud beeping, causing his eyes to spring open in annoyance.  _ Who's calling me so early? _ He hurriedly reached for the phone in his back pocket, answering the call without checking to see who it was.

  
  


“Hello?” 

“Good morning Mr. Seo,” at the sound of the familiar voice, In-woo’s lips began to curl into a small smile, his previous anger quickly dissipating. It was welcoming to hear someone he could trust. 

“Good morning, Ms. Jo. is there something you need to discuss? It's a bit early for a call,” he said, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

“I apologize, but this is important. It seems someone uploaded a post on the internet regarding the Yuseong Biomedi incident,” the unexpected news caused him to sit up his attention now completely on whatever Ms. Jo had to say.

“They are claiming that the worker who uploaded the report is being framed by one of the higher ups in the company. I'm sure they’re talking about your brother, Mr. Seo,” In-woo wasn't sure what to think of this.  _ Could it be Dong-sik’s doing? _ His hand came up to his mouth, eyebrows furrowed in thought.  _ But what was the point? _

“The post has already been taken down but as you can guess many people have already seen it,” his phone vibrated at an incoming message.

“I've sent it to you.” she remained silent awaiting his response.

“Does my brother know?” 

“I’m not sure, but there is a large chance he has already been made aware of the current situation,” In-woo nodded before giving her a quip thanks, ending the call. He remained seated staring absentmindedly, his head churning at the new information. Did Dong-sik even have the guts to pull off something like this? He remembered their short lived conversation.

_ “I will be telling my truth soon. So p-please, be patient with me,” _

_ Is this what he meant by that? _ Inwoo found himself snickering at the idea. Maybe Dong-sik wasn't so useless after all.  _ Ji-hoon must be fuming right now.  _ At the thought, In-woo’s smile grew wider. This is definitely going to elicit an irrational response from that moron.

In-woo slowly stood up, feeling slightly more energized. This changes things. Before he kills Dong-sik, he will make sure to use him to the fullest extent. Plus, his condition right now makes it perfect for In-woo to take advantage of him. He could feel his heart thrumming in his chest, the familiar sensation of excitement making itself known. Dong-sik had unintentionally awoken something within In-woo that had laid dormant for far too long.

And was this necessarily something bad? Of course not. Maybe for Dong-sik, but definitely not for him. He slowly began his jog once again, his body hyper focused on every movement he made. In-woo was a predator-- at least that's how he would define himself. And Dong-sik, well...

  
  
  
  
  


_ He’s the perfect prey. _

In-woo wasn't entirely sure what to make of Yook Dong-sik. He fingered the two sheets of paper in his hands eyes scanning the limited information displayed on them. There were the basics like his name and address as well as general family information. Otherwise, that was about it. He’d apparently started working at Daehan a few years ago which had been slightly surprising. Although, it made sense In-woo wouldn't know who he was. Dong-sik was just another worker-- he was like everyone else. All those pathetic people tied to their nine-to-fives with no hopes of escape.  _ An endless cycle of misery. _

__

He let out a long sigh throwing the sheets of paper onto his work desk. How could someone so disgustingly...ordinary take up so much of In-woo’s mind? People like Dong-sik grated his nerves the most. He was dull and funny looking with his unruly mane of curls and strangely large cheeks. Not only that but his nauseating kindness, which made him the laughing stock of his coworkers, only added to the growing list of reasons as to why In-woo should murder him already. 

__

In-woo’s hands found their way to his head, massaging his temples to release some of the tension beginning to expand from all the frustrating thoughts.  _ But what if Dong-sik  _ wasn't  _ completely ordinary? _ No, there was no point in assuming something like that, especially after reading the man’s pathetic file. His gaze fell onto the bookshelf across from him, eyes landing on the book that triggered the door to his secret room. 

It had been a while since he’d been in there. 

It's not like he'd many reasons to go in anyway. After his first failed murder attempt, In-woo had made the decision to simply collect impressive looking weapons that he found to be pleasing. It was fun to sometimes imagine killing a few of his obnoxious rich friends or his brother but he never planned anything out.

But this time, it would be different. In-woo had a grater motivation to seek murder now, therefore he was sure his chances of succes would be higher than the first time. 

Killing Dong-sik shouldn’t be too hard. He didn't have many friends or much of a social life in general. And judging by how easily people are able to take advantage of him, In-woo was sure getting close to him wouldn’t be a problem. And if for some reason Dong-sik rejected him, he could always use his name against him. That would surely change the other’s mind.

Once In-woo became the only person Dong-sik could trust, his only... _ friend _ , he would drive the sharpest knife he could find right through he man’s chest. The thought made In-woo smile as he reached for the discarded files from his desk. He picked them up analyzing the grainy picture of Dong-sik’s solemn face on the first page. 

“Yook Dong-sik...you should have never been there that night.” 

“Good morning, Mr. Seo,” In-woo bowed to his secretary, uttering a small greeting before walking inside the elevator. She stood next to him in that stoic manner of hers, keeping a fair amount of distance between them. 

“Were you able to see the post?” In-woo turned his face downward aiming to hide the grin forming on his lips. 

“Yes, yes I did,” her face remained unchanged but In-woo didn't fail to notice the slightest glint in her eyes as she nodded her head in understanding. She didn't seem too bothered but In-woo could tell there was more she wanted to say. 

“Dong-sik was attacked by a group of thugs yesterday,” In-woo’s head turned towards Ms. Jo at the sudden bit of information, his eyebrow slightly raised. She returned the look with a slight frown on her lips.

“I spoke with him but he remained rather convinced it never happened,” a long sigh fell from her mouth as she shuffled in place shifting her gaze towards the digital numbers atop the elevator doors. In-woo wasn't entirely surprised. Ji-hoon wasn't one to shy away from using questionable methods towards his employees. 

“I see. I guess my brother really has no shame,” the elevator dinged as the doors slowly opened, prompting In-woo to step out. He faced Ms. Jo his hand out as an indicator for her to remain in the elevator.

“I have something to do right now on the rooftop. Is it alright if you wait for me in the office?” his hands intertwined behind his back as he watched her slowly nod her head.

“Of course. I'll be there,” he gave her a small smile before the doors closed once again. So his brother already made a move, huh? That was much easier than In-woo had expected. 

He cautiously opened the door leading up to the rooftop slowly walking towards the railing where he could see Dong-sik standing, head lowered.  _ What's he doing? _ His footsteps were quiet going unnoticed by the other male as he carefully approached him.

In-woo had read up everything he could about Dong-sik the night before. Well, the little bit there was available for him to read. The guy was a loser. Not much to see. The only thing In-woo found slightly interesting was their eerily similar family circumstance. Dead mother, half brother, annoying father-- it was almost laughable. If only these similar conditions had forged Dong-sik to become someone like him.

In-woo scoffed at the thought stepping closer to the said man. Dong-sik was still completely unaware of his presence, all too engrossed in whatever it was he was reading. He stood there for a moment, eyeing the guy’s untamed hair as it bounced with the wind.

“Excuse me,” at the sound of his voice, Dong-sik’s head snapped up in attention, rapidly hiding

the notebook he’d been holding inside the brown bag slung over his shoulder. In-woo watched in amusement as Dong-sik fumbled around completely flustered at his sudden appearance.  _ Heh, so dumb. _

_ “ _ W-Wha-- I’m sorry I didn't know you were there!” he chuckled nervously keeping his head slightly lowered.

“It’s alright. I’m sorry for surprising you like this,” 

“Ah, no it’s okay, you don’t have to apologize,” he rubbed the back of his neck anxiously taking a small step back. In-woo responded to the movement with a step forward, seeming to give off a domineering aura.  _ I'm the one in charge here.  _

Dong-sik didn't seem to notice the advancement nor the subtlety hidden beneath the action. 

“No, I mean it. As well as from before. I'm sorry for interrogating you like that,” to seem further convincing, he gave the man a deep bow, smiling as Dong-sik began to mumble incoherent words once again.

“A-Ah, no, it’s okay! Geez you don't have to bow to me--”

“Then, how about you join me for dinner? I still feel really bad about that incident,” Dong-sik’s head snapped to attention once again, his mouth agape at the sudden invitation.  _ All you have to do is say yes. _

“Um, well,” he looked away timidly biting his lower lip. In-woo resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the action. Why is he acting like some school girl? Just accept the offer. He stood patiently waiting for Dong-sik to speak.

“I can't, I'm sorry. I have plans for tonight,”  _ Fucking liar.  _ In-woo simply smiled at his response trying to keep up his nice facade.

“Are you sure? You can leave early if you want. I heard that yesterday you were attacked by some thugs,” his voice was laced in fake-worry giving Dong-sik the most sympathetic face he could make. 

“Ah, right. Don't worry about that! Those are just rumors, I'm totally alright!” he gave In-woo a blinding smile nodding eagerly at him.  _ Why was he making this so difficult? _ Dong-sik stood upright, straightening his back, spreading his arms out to his side.

“See? All good!”  _ He's like a kid.  _ Now that Dong-sik’s head wasn't lowered, In-woo had a clear view of his face, as well as the slightest trace of a bruise near the base of his neck. Dong-sik seemed to notice his staring, his hand coming up to cover the flushed skin.

“Oh, ah-- this is nothing. I got it a while ago from a fight with my brother, you don't have to worry about it!” In-woo looked away but decided to accept the half-assed explanation. Not that he cared anyway. Dong-sik’s well-being wasn't exactly that important to him, considering he was  planning on murdering the guy anyway. In-woo shifted his gaze back to Dong-sik’s face, which was now slightly flushed pink. He was looking away towards the sky, aggressively chewing on his lower lip, once again unaware of In-woo’s presence. He wasn't sure whether to find this amusing or not.

In-woo idly wondered what the guy was thinking about.  _ Could it perhaps be about that night?  _ Although, his expression seemed slightly...pained. In-woo shook his head chasing the thought away, before loudly clearing his throat. __

“Well, if you ever need to speak with someone I’m right here,” he gave him a dazzling smile, satisfied with the flustered look on the other’s face. Right, I came here for a reason.

“Ah, okay..! Thank you,” he bowed hurriedly before straightening his back, keeping his eyes glued to the floor. In-woo wasn’t entirely sure what to say now. He could insist on dinner once again, but he didn’t want to seem too pushy. That would probably scare Dong-sik off.

“Um, I have to go now…” In-woo looked up seeing Dong-sik begin to make his way past him.  _ Shit, he can't leave yet..!  _

“Wait!” In-woo grabbed the man’s arm spinning him around so that Dong-sik could face him. The action surprised them both as In-woo merely stared back with an equally confused expression.

“D-do you need something?” _ What am I doing? _ In-woo let go of his arm carefully taking a step back. Dong-sik seemed to appreciate the space making sure to scoot further away from him.  _ Damn it. _

“Sorry, it's just...let me know when you’re free, okay?” the other man nodded in response before quickly scurrying away. Well, that was a complete disaster. Why was Dong-sik so adamant to get away? It's not like he was missing out on anything. He sighed loudly, beginning to make his way back, when he noticed something from the corner of his eye. 

“What..” he crouched down, picking up the small notebook, curiously turning it in his hand. This was probably what Dong-sik had been reading earlier. What an idiot, he most likely doesn't even know he lost it. In-woo snickered at that, pocketing the small notebook inside his coat. Oh well, at least it was a good excuse for him to talk to the guy again. His eyes followed the swirl of clouds angrily forming in the now darkening sky, a small smile settling on his face. 

_ Things are about to get interesting. _

  
  


After the talk with Dong-sik, In-woo met up with Ms. Jo in his office, giving her a small nod of acknowledgement. She closed the door behind her, standing near his desk.

“I have your schedule for the upcoming week,” In-woo took the file from her hands quickly scanning through its contents. He wasn’t entirely jumping over the moon to work, especially after the mess on the rooftop. He sighed, rubbing his eyes forcibly, giving Ms. Jo a quiet ‘thanks.’

“Also, Mr Kim called earlier. He was wondering if you wanted to meet with him today instead of next week,” In-woo had to think for a while before remembering exactly who she was referring to. Right, the moron at the restaurant. She watched him carefully before he spoke up.

“Today I’m not in the mood--”

“He's already here,” there was a soft knock at the door before it swung open. In-woo’s face remained neutral as the man stepped inside giving him a slight bow. 

“I'm sorry for coming here so suddenly!” he sat in one of the chairs placed across In-woo’s desk. In-woo resisted the urge to groan out loud, instead signaling to Ms. Jo that she could leave. She nodded her head, giving him a sympathetic smile, before quickly closing the door behind her. 

“It’s alright. What can I help you with?” Mr. Kim gave him a worried look before sighing out in relief.  _ This better be important _ ...In-woo glanced at his watch before looking back at the man, hoping to get his point across.

“Oh, right! Well, it's about the deal we were talking about,” In-woo sat back in his chair, a bored expression on his face. 

“Yes, the deal. What about it?” Mr. Kim swallowed dryly, twiddling his fingers anxiously.

“Well, I will only accept it unless you promote a worker by the name of Yook Dong-sik? He’s an analyst here, I’m not sure if you've heard of him…” the man trailed off scratching the back of his head. 

For a second, In-woo wasn't sure if he’d heard correctly.  _ Did he just say Yook Dong-sik? _

“I know the name sounds a bit silly but--here! I have a picture,” he dug into his pockets bringing out a small photograph, and placed it on In-woo’s desk. He took the picture staring at it intently.

Dong-sik's familiar face stared back at him, completely unaware of the turmoil going through his mind. He resisted the urge to ball it up, instead returning it to Mr. Kim. 

In-woo was at a loss for words. He wasn't even entirely sure how to react. Had he seriously just asked him to promote Dong-sik, of all people?? To say that In-woo was shocked would be the understatement of the decade.

_ How does this idiot even know about Dong-sik? And, most importantly, why ask In-woo to promote him??  _

He shifted in his seat hoping to come off as calm as possible. Somehow, Dong-sik was connected to one of the most influential men in Korea, who was currently sitting in in-woo’s office, asking him to give Dong-sik a fucking promotion. And, if In-woo chose not to do it, then  this deal he’d worked so hard to get would completely flop. 

“So, what do you think? Can you do it?” In-woo remained silent weighing his options. Not that there was much to weigh. It was quite obvious what the right choice was.

“Yes. I’ll do it.”

“Oh, that’s great! Sorry to trouble you like this, I’m sure you must be annoyed,” he gave In-woo a nervous chuckle slowly beginning to get up from the chair. In-woo followed suit giving the man a small bow.

“It’s no trouble. But, if you don’t mind me asking, why do you want me to promote him? It seems to me you don't even know who he is,” This made no sense. The guy should at least explain his reasoning to In-woo so he wouldn’t have to deal with the absurdity of it for the rest of the day.

“Ah, right. Well, it's my son. I guess they must know each other or something. Since he’s my only kid I tend to spoil him a little! You know, if this is troubling you too much then--”

“No, I'm fine. I was just a bit curious that's all.” 

“Oh of course! Now that you’ve made your decision I guess I'll be off. Thank you Mr. Seo, and once again, I'm sorry for appearing so suddenly,”

“It’s alright. I'm glad we've come to a mutual agreement,” In-woo waved goodbye to him as he at last walked out of the small office. After a while In-woo plopped down in his seat feeling completely void of energy. He couldn't even believe what had just happened. To think Dong-sik would be relevant even in the business deals he conducted. His head rested against his seat as he carefully recounted his conversation with Mr. Kim.

He’d mentioned something about a son. This guy is most likely the one pulling the strings. Although, that didn't make In-woo’s predicament any easier. Now he had to find out who the guy was, how he’s connected to Dong-sik, and why he wants in-woo to promote that...insect. Right now, he was completely at his mercy, and the realization made In-woo want to scream. 

“Who the hell are you, Yook Dong-sik..?” 

Could this possibly be the reason why In-woo couldn't find much information on him? That somehow he's connected to these powerful people who can do anything he wishes?  _ Fuck, that bastard.  _ No wonder he seemed so uninterested in speaking with him.  _ He's already someone else's bitch.  _ In-woo grit his teeth, slamming his fist against the desk. He wouldn't let Dong-sik get away with this. Not a chance in hell. The familiar sound of his ringtone brought In-woo out of his head, glancing at the vibrating device on his desk. He picked it up feeling the onsets of a migraine as he read the caller ID. 

  
  


_ Dammit...damn it all! _

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're finally getting things rolling lol ;) um give me some feedback and let me know what y'all think. i really missed you guys :')) i truly wanted this chapter to come out perfect but i feel like its..lacking idk how to explain it..but whatever. i felt it had been long enough so i decided to finally post it. Next chapter coming soon! (hopefully)


	4. Two-faced Demon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baby's only twenty-three, dancing under lights since she was seventeen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapter but I hope you guys enjoy. Didn't mean to take so long but work had me by the neck lol. Also, I love you if you know the song i'm referring to hehe. Oh and Merry Christmas + Happy New Year! :))

“Yes, I understand. Thank you,” In-woo ended the call tossing his phone onto the desk. He glanced at the clock on the wall letting out a long sigh.  _ It's already this late? _

In-woo hadn’t been prepared for the call but was slightly grateful for the distraction. Plus, the guy agreed to his terms which made everything much more pleasing. For a second, he’d feared the man would be reluctant to adhere to his specific requirements, but with a little convincing, he was quickly on board. In-woo rose from his seat, grabbing his coat, eager to leave the small office.

Seeing as how late it was, it made sense no one would be here. He walked out of the empty room head hung low. 

_ Where could Dong-sik be now?  _ In-woo pressed the elevator button waiting patiently for the door to open. If he had to make a guess, it was likely he was sitting alone in his apartment. Maybe he should go pay him a visit. His hand came up to his mouth as the conversation with Mr. Kim replayed in his mind.

It’s not like In-woo was entirely against having Dong-sik promoted. This might actually be quite beneficial to him considering it would likely allow them to become closer. The only thing bothering him was the person who’d requested the promotion.

The elevator dinged as the doors opened, In-woo stepping out, speed walking his way to the exit.  _ Mr. Kim's son...what kind of person could he be?  _ Judging by the description from his dad, the guy just sounded like another spoiled brat. He took out his keys unlocking the passenger door, his mouth contorted into a thin line.

_ A spoiled brat with a lot of power. _

“Tsk,” In-woo hastily opened the car door plopping himself inside. He sat there for a while before starting up the car making his way out of the parking area. The road was quiet as he drove past the many buildings and small businesses lined up on either side of the street. He mindlessly drove past them until he at last reached his destination, parking in the exact place he had the day he’d seen Dong-sik enter the infamous Daehan construction building.

He took his keys out of the ignition, leaning his head against the backrest of his seat. 

“Dammit,” he let out a low sigh resisting the urge to punch something. Now, not only does he have to redo his entire plan, he also has to find out who Mr. Kim's son is and how he is affiliated with someone like Yook Dong-sik. _ First the construction site and now this… _

At the thought, In-woo’s eyes flickered towards the said building almost anticipating to see the familiar mop of curly hair. Instead he was met with an empty street completely void of people.  _ Why did I even come here?  _ The question was rhetorical of course, considering in-woo already knew the answer to it. He shifted in his seat shrugging off his coat, before noticing something poking through his inside pocket. He reached in, pulling out the object in question, and felt his mouth slowly morph into a smile. It was Dong-sik’s notebook. He’d almost forgotten about it. He inspected the small book in his hand, turning it over to see if Dong-sik’s name was written on it. unsurprisingly, there were no indications that it belonged to him.

“Hm, how careless,” the cover was slightly battered and dirtied, small creases etched into it where someone had sloppily written over it. He squinted his eyes seeing if maybe he could make something out of the jumbled sentences but quickly gave up. Whatever, why was he stalling so much anyway? Wasn't he curious to know more about Dong-sik? Although this time In-woo wasn’t getting his hopes up.

He rolled his eyes, prying the notebook open.  _ Lets see what you’re hiding in here Dong-sik-ssi… _

The first page was blank so he turned it over reading the small sentence that adorned the second page.

  
  


_ Please call this number if found, thank you. _

_ (434) 144 5764 _

  
  


_ Hmph, why so secretive? _ He shook his head turning the page only for that one to be blank as well. In-woo was beginning to become irritated, opting to rapidly skim through the notebook instead of turning the pages one by one. 

“Why the hell are they all blank…?” he closed the small book, turning it in his hand once again to see if he missed anything. But there was nothing out of place. Just a regular old notebook. He opened it again, turning to the page where Dong-sik’s number was written, inspecting the symbols closely as if they would reveal some secret to him. When he found nothing interesting he tossed the book on top of his discarded coat. He stared at it for a while, a thought coming to mind as he started up the car. 

“Could it be…” he was interrupted by the familiar ring of his phone. He took it from his back pocket, frowning at the name displayed on the screen, before answering the call.

“Yes, father?” 

_ Maybe Dong-sik really was more interesting than he let on. _

“Your brother got into an accident. I've sent the address to the hospital,” before In-woo got a chance to respond the call ended. His phone buzzed at an incoming message and in-woo quickly input the address into his GPS resisting the urge to stay where he was instead. _ Hopefully he’s on life support. _

He gripped the steering wheel making his way back onto the road, carefully following the instructions of the robotic voice.  _ So Ji-hoon got into an accident? _ In-woo let out a dry laugh shaking his head at the sudden turn of events. At this rate, he wouldn't even need to do anything to that moron considering he puts himself in far more danger than In-woo ever could.

He pulled into the entrance of the hospital quickly parking his car and heading inside. It was slightly busy considering it was already nearly two in the morning, nurses rapidly passed him by paying no mind to him. He walked towards the reception desk clearing his throat to get the attention of the one of the nurses rapidly scribbling something onto her clipboard.

“Excuse me, I'm here for my brother. His name is Seo Ji-hoon,” at the sound of his voice the nurse perked up giving him a quick glance before turning her attention back to the paperwork in her hands.

“Oh, that guy--”

“I've already told you!!! Someone tried to  _ KILL ME _ !” 

The sudden scream startled them both, their heads turning towards the direction of the sound. _ Well, that wasn't so hard.  _ The nurse made a visibly annoyed face before quickly shifting back to her usual bored expression, probably already used to his brother’s temper tantrums by now.

“Just go around that corner and he’ll be in the last room to the right,” In-woo gave her a small bow and sympathetic smile before making his way to the room. Great, another headache.

He lightly knocked on the door before opening it, coming face to face with his rather annoyed father and a hysterical Ji-hoon flailing wildly on his hospital bed. Two bodyguards stood at attention next to him looking rather uncomfortable.

“I'm not high! Just--fuck--can’t you believe me?!” He was wearing a neck brace along with a blue hospital gown. In-woo found that this attire fit Ji-hoon much better than the usual fancy suits he wore. He walked over to his father who was keeping his gaze lowered towards the floor. In-woo stood beside him, patiently waiting for the man to speak up. 

“Tomorrow you will begin working as the director at Daehan. And--” he gave a quick glance to Ji-hoon before planting his hand on In-woo’s shoulder, leaning in to whisper in his ear.

“Don’t disappoint me,” the urge to snap the old man’s feeble neck was strong, but all in-woo could do was give him a small nod as he walked out of the room, not giving either of them a second glance. Somehow the satisfaction he’d looked forward to when being made director instead was met with a bitter taste in his mouth.  _ Fucking old man. _

“H-hey, wait--Father! Where are you going?!” Ji-hoon made to hop out of the hospital bed but was stopped by the two large security guards by his side, pinning him against the swaying bed. He was quickly subdued, having no chance of breaking out of their hold.

“No, hey! Let go of me you bastards!” In-woo watched from afar his gaze heavy with the intent to kill. To think ji-hoon would get into an accident-- or overdose-- just in time for in-woo to move ahead with his plans. He stepped closer to the bed watching as ji-hoon pathetically squirmed against the large hands attached to his noodle arms, keeping him in place. To think it would be this easy...

“Agh-- Fuck! You bastard! Did you plan this with him? Huh?!”  _ With him? _ In-woo stared back unmoving, his face showing no signs of irritation. After receiving no response, Ji-hoon flopped down on the bed, his chest heaving from all the physical exertion and most likely large amounts of drugs swimming in his bloodstream.  _ What a pathetic sight. _ The younger groaned, grinding his head against the hospital sheets. What a waste of his time. He stepped away from the bed and made his way out of the room ignoring the other’s protests.

  
  


He had better things to do.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**  
  
  


In-woo sat back in his chair, staring at the small notebook on his desk. What could Dong-sik possibly be hiding in this? His hands went up to his mouth, lightly chewing on his nail. He had a theory although there was a chance nothing would come out if it. The plastic bag next to the notebook stared back at him, impatiently waiting for In-woo to begin his experiment. After a moment of thought, he silently made his decision, reaching for the contents within the clear plastic bag.

After carefully placing the batteries inside the flashlight, In-woo flickered it on. There was nothing special about it, aside from the fact that it was a UV light. In-woo reached over to the lamp which was the only source of luminance in the room and shut it off. The dim blue light from the small flashlight shone on the notebook in front of him, already revealing Dong-sik’s name scribbled on the cover. 

So it seems his theory was correct. In-woo smiled to himself opening the book in front of him with the light shining against the pages. This time they were not blank-- instead full to the brim with jumbled writing. The messiness made In-woo cringe slightly, skipping ahead to a random page that wasn't as cluttered. He scooted closer to the desk squinting his eyes to make out the faint words.

  
  


_ Sept. 12th, 2019 _

  
  
  


_ I hadn't expected to become this restless. Everyone at work keeps blaming me for it but it wasn't my fault. Even if I begged they wouldn't believe me. I wish-- i wish i could just-- _

  
  
  
  


The short entry ended leaving behind angry scribbles below the frantic writing. In-woo inspected it carefully seeing a few words beneath the clouds of ink. He turned the page seeing a new entry. The writing seemed much neater almost as if it was written by an entirely different person.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_ Sept. 13th, 2019 _

_ My heart is racing. How can I survive this? I'm getting thrilled just thinking about it. I didn't know where else to do it and then I remembered this place. The construction site is perfect. _

  
  


In-woo’s eyes widened slightly before continuing to read.

  
  


_ It’s pretty late, hopefully no one saw me go inside. But….if i think about getting caught- it kind of excites me a little. I'm such a sick human being..what would my mom think if she ever read this?? _

  
  


_ But I can't help it. The moment the knife sinks into the flesh...blood gushing out. The smell is intoxicating. I can't help but feel dizzy whenever it hits my nose. It's dark inside the building so the chase feels slightly more exhilarating than usual. But once the prey has been caught by the predator--there is no chance of escape. _

_ Large hands squeeze the sensitive skin of the thin neck. The air is cut off--hands clawing at the obstruction of air flow but the predator does not relent. The ground is harsh against the thin back as the prey is slammed mercilessly against the concrete. There is a pile of pipes nearby which gets toppled down by them both, the loud crash reverberating inside the large room. But it goes unnoticed. And...they're reaching closer..spots dance in their vision--closer and closer--!! _

  
  


_ Until there’s no more air to breath. _

  
  
  
  
  


In-woo isn’t sure what to think as he reads the final sentence. His hands are clammy with sweat and it’s almost as if he had been the one running inside the building judging from how fast his heart is thrumming. There is an inexplicable feeling in his chest as he rereads the entry over and over- eyes rapidly scanning the page.

“Dong-sik…” his voice sounds unsteady as he repeats the name several times to himself. For a moment he considers calling the man before coming back to his senses. His hands shakily close the book hurriedly turning the lamp back on, cautiously leaning back against the chair.

  
  
  


_ The moment the knife sinks into the flesh… _

  
  


In-woo almost keels over from the sudden eruption of laughter. His hands clutch at his stomach as he leans over, laying his forehead atop the desk.  _ Could this be real? _ The laughter dials down to a low chuckle as he lifts his head from the desk wiping the tears from his eyes. He stares at the book merely a few inches from his hands.

  
  
  


He decides that it definitely is.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know how you guys feel about this...I was kinda struggling on how I wanted to word Dong-sik's entries in his notebook and finally settled with this. I wanted to make it as ambiguous as possible so in-woo believes he killed someone when in reality...he's doing the-do lol. can't wait to (possibly?) write in Dong-sik's perspective! it's gonna be fun jejeje and of course..the smut. Very excited abt that. Oh, also!! i wanted ji-hoon out of the picture already so the whole 'accident' part happened as fast as possible..so yeah sorry abt that. i just wanted to speed things up lol. As always, thank you for reading!! Hopefully there will be a next update soon :)


	5. New Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you like :) Also..dialogue? at last??

Ms. Jo waited patiently by the elevator doors, eyes planted on the clipboard in her hands. She shifted through the copious amounts of papers scanning through each of them rapidly. Now that Mr. Seo was assigned as the director of Daehan, his workload had nearly doubled-- including hers. She even came to work an hour earlier to get started as soon as possible. She definitely didn't want to lag behind. 

A small beeping caught her attention as she checked the smartwatch on her wrist.  _ He should be here any minute now-- exactly 7 on the dot. _ There was no one here aside from her and security leaving them with plenty of time to get as much done before everyone else joined the building. 

As if on cue, she heard the familiar sound of the entrance to the building being opened. Her eyes shot up watching as In-woo was led by two security guards by his side. She gave him a small bow as he made his way towards her. In-woo simply nodded in return, grabbing the paper she held for him as he at last stood beside her.  _ Exactly as it should be _ , she thought to herself.

“Goodmorning, Director Seo. I hope you slept well,” she glanced at him as they stepped into the elevator and was surprised to see a smile on his face. The two guards bowed as the doors closed leaving the two alone in the small enclosed space.

“Yes, I did. Did  _ you _ sleep well, Ms. Jo?” her brow arched curiously before answering with a firm yes.  _ He seems to be in a good mood.  _ The elevator dinged as it came to a stop, its doors sliding open for them to step out.

“I’ve already placed your schedule on your desk,” she said as they approached the office In-woo would be utilising from now on. He gave a low hum of acknowledgement as she carefully opened the door. In-woo stepped inside glancing around the surprisingly large space before making his way to the desk. Ms. Jo followed closely behind explaining to him the several bits of paperwork she’d gotten done before he’d arrived.

“Workers won’t begin to come in until eight so we have at least an hour. Get comfortable with your new office and-- congratulations to Director Seo,” she gave him a deep bow, satisfied to see him smiling once again.

“I know this is something you’ve wanted for a long time,” Ms. Jo was not exactly naive. Seo In-woo was intelligent and hardworking-- much more skilled at this sort of stuff than his mediocre brother-- so she was pleasantly surprised to find out that he wasn’t the director of Daehan. After being by his side for so long, she came to realize just how much In-woo sacrificed every day to get to this position. And yet, his father never seemed to care for his efforts.

“I can tell...you’re in a really good mood today, right?” she smiled at his look of surprise, regarding her with an arched brow of his own.

“What makes you say that?” he leaned on his arms waiting for her response.  _ Well, this is proof enough,  _ she thought.

“Director is not one to smile so much,” 

In-woo watched her carefully, seeming to be in deep thought. For a moment she felt a shiver go down her spine as she stared back.  _ Someone like him...how could he fall behind Ji-hoon?  _ It was only a matter of time that he would soon take his brother’s place. Ms. Jo hadn’t even realized it, but at some point, her heart began to beat wildly in her chest when she made her way to his side. Or when he complimented her for the hard work she’d done, patting her on the back and giving her one of his rare smiles.

She was snapped back to reality by the sound of her name being called.

“I’m sorry?”

“I was just saying thank you, Ms. Jo,” he shook his head, letting out a small chuckle. She nervously cleared her throat before straightening back up. _ Why am I thinking about something like this..? _

“Right, well I'll be taking my leave then,” she hid her face between the clipboard, feeling her cheeks begin to heat up, as she gave him a curt bow.  _ This is so embarrassing.  _ She vaguely heard a response before quickly turning on her heels, exiting the room as fast as she could. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


In-woo stared at the office door for a long while after Ms. Jo had left the room.  _ Had it been that obvious? _ He hid the small grin forming on his lips as he sank into the office chair. Well, after his discovery last night how could he contain his excitement?? He would have never in a million years guessed what Dong-sik had written in that small notebook.

At the thought, his hand glided over the outline of the said book nestled inside his coat pocket. To think that Dong-sik was the same as him all along, he should have never doubted himself. In-woo almost wanted to scream at the top of his lungs after the discovery. He’d re-read the short entry over and over committing every word to memory. Afterwards, he frantically scanned the notebook for more staying up until the first rays of sunlight peeked their way inside his room.

His hands had been trembling after finishing the book. Some of the entries were simply about his own personal feelings, which In-woo gladly chose to ignore, while only about six of them explcitily described the thrill of commiting murder.

In-woo leaned back in his chair staring at the papers scattered on the desk.  _ Should I confront him? _ He thought back to their conversation outside the office, when In-woo had been certain Dong-sik had been the one at the construction site, and frowned at the memory.

Maybe confronting him wasn’t exactly the best idea. Right, instead he should continue with his initial plan to get closer to Dong-sik and then…

“I can ask him about the book,” he muttered out loud satisfied with his final conclusion. He checked his watch before getting back to his paperwork ignoring his shaking hands.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


A light knock at the door caught his attention as Ms. Jo made her way inside the office. Her heels clacked against the tiles as she walked over to him.

“Were you able to see the schedule?” he gave her a nod before standing up to stretch his body from having been sitting down for so long. They both walked out of the room, Ms. Jo reciting the several things he has left to do before he can take his leave. His mind was much too preoccupied to listen, instead carefully reciting the entries from Dong-sik’s notebook.

Ms. Jo stopped as they approached the office giving In-woo a farewell before making her way back towards the elevator. He watched as she disappeared behind the doors before staring at the entrance to the office. Without a second thought he marched inside satisfied to see the workers were all awaiting his presence giving him courteous bows and respectful greetings. He smiled back giving the usual response but was distracted by the fact that Dong-sik was nowhere to be found. _ Is he not at work today? _

“Director Seo, we’re all so happy to have you here!” he eyed the man in front of him nodding quickly before scanning the small group once again, his mouth contorting into a frown.

“Um--Ah well, we’ve already met before but I'll introduce myself again..” In-woo tuned him out as the familiar poof of hair appeared in his peripheral vision. He turned his head in the direction and almost let out a sigh of relief as Dong-sik stepped into the room, slightly out of breath. In-woo made to walk towards him but decided against it when Dong-sik froze in place as their eyes met. He seemed stunned that In-woo was here, mouth slightly agape, almost as if he wanted to protest against it.

“Y...you, why are you here?” the room became quiet as Dong-sik rapidly approached him, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. In-woo watched the other man in amusement, a small smirk displayed on his lips.

“What do you mean?” he playfully questioned him, taking in the other’s quite obvious agitated look. Dong-sik glanced at the group of people in front of them before quickly grabbing In-woo’s arm, dragging him out of the room. The touch was unexpected but In-woo didn't mind it, letting himself get pulled towards the exit, smiling as he heard the surprised gasp of the small crowd behind them. It seems Dong-sik never failed to bring some form of excitement wherever he went. 

They walked a considerable amount of distance before Dong-sik at last let go of his arm, now warm from the other’s tight hold. In-woo stood beside him, a small smile plastered on his face. He had a pretty good idea as to why Dong-sik was doing this-- his hand reflexively coming up to feel the notebook hidden inside his coat pocket. Dong-sik at last turned to face him, cheeks slightly flushed pink.

“Sorry, um...I just need to ask you something in private,” his voice was lowered as he stepped closer to In-woo. 

“The other day when we were talking on the rooftop...did you happen to find a small notebook?” In-woo resisted the urge to chuckle, instead furrowing his brows in concern.  _ He looks nervous. _ Although In-woo could understand his anxiousness he couldn't exactly let him know that the notebook was safe and sound in his pocket.  _ At least not yet. _

“No, I'm sorry. Did you lose it?” his face fell at In-woo’s words and for a moment he thought the other man would start crying (thankfully that didn’t happen).

“I-I think it fell out of my bag...I knew I should've left it at my desk,” he chewed on his lip anxiously, staring intently at the floor, before letting out a loud sigh.

“Maybe it fell when I was walking home…” In-woo watched him mumble to himself, slightly amused at the sight.  _ How could he be so careless…  _ And yet, the detailed entries in the book contradicted him so greatly. He couldn't help but admire the way Dong-sik could transform himself into this timid, frail and pathetic excuse of a person from the true predator that laid beneath, ready to pounce at a moment’s notice. 

In-woo’s eyes scanned the man before him, almost as if he still couldn’t believe it was true. Dong-sik paid no mind to his staring, instead seeming to go over the events that transpired when they’d spoken on the roof the previous day. A thought came to mind as In-woo’s eyes inspected the exposed skin of Dong-sik’s neck. He was sure the thugs Ji-hoon had sent hadn’t stood a chance against someone like Dong-sik. He suppressed a small smile before opening his mouth to speak.

  
  


“Is there anything else I can help you with, Dong-sik-ssi?” he looked over to In-woo, eyes slightly widened in surprise.

“Oh, right! I’m sorry, gosh-- I completely forgot you were here…” his hand reflexively reached up to ruffle his hair before settling back by his side, giving In-woo an awkward bow.

“No, it was just the notebook...We should head back to the office then,” they walked in silence, steadily making their way back. 

“It seems this notebook is really important to you,” Dong-sik visibly stiffened at the statement, giving In-woo a nervous glance, before quickly looking away.

“...Yeah, it is,” In-woo gave a low hum to his answer, carefully nodding his head in understanding.

“I’ll keep an eye out for it then,” Dong-sik perked up, giving him a surprised look, before training his eyes back to the ground.

“Um, you don't have to really..” 

“No, it’s okay, I insist. It’s really no bother. Plus, I still owe you dinner, remember? This is the least I can do for having inconvenienced you that day,” for a moment Dong-sik seemed confused, eyebrows furrowed in thought, before his eyes widened in recollection.

“Right, well-- thank you. That would mean a lot,” the hestitance in his voice didn’t go unnoticed by In-woo, who simply smiled in return telling Dong-sik it was nothing as they approached the office. Dong-sik lowered his head as his coworkers stared at the duo, their previous mutterings coming to a stop.

  
  
  


“Oh they’re back…” the voice of a nearby female employee quietly uttered. In-woo gave them all a slight bow, eyes following Dong-sik as he timidly joined the group of coworkers avoiding eye contact at all costs. They followed his movements mumbling amongst themselves as he settled at the very back where In-woo could no longer see him.

He cleared his throat scanning the small group of workers in front of him.

“During managing Director Seo’s leave of absence, I director Seo In-woo, will be looking over the Asset Management Team,” they all cautiously gave a small round of applause the previous tension in the room quickly dissipating. 

“It's an honor to finally work with a legendary trader such as yourself!” a nearby worker approached In-woo, a large smile on his face. He was quickly interrupted by another man, eagerly pushing him away.

“Actually, no one has been looking forward to this day as much as I have,” In-woo smiled at him wishing he could grab Dong-sik and run out of the room.  _ Brainless fools.  _ The man was suddenly flung to the side by yet another enthusiastic employee, regarding In-woo with a satisfied smirk on his face. 

“I was shocked, sir. I thought a model just walked in.” In-woo ignored the man instead looking towards the crowd, eyes stopping once he spotted Dong-sik behind a female employee, head lowered towards the ground.

“What about you, Mr. Yook? Are you happy to be working with me?” his head snapped up a slight look of surprise on his face.

“Ah..yes. I apologize for my behaviour earlier, I didn’t--”

“It’s alright, Dong-sik. Now that we work together, don’t hesitate to let me know if you need any help,” he smiled as the other man nodded in understanding. “We’re a team now.”

“This is exciting! We should have a team dinner to welcome you sir!” In-woo looked over to the employee standing next to the man from earlier.  _ Ah, the lap-dog. No wonder he looked familiar.  _

The room erupted in yet another round of applause as people nodded in agreement.

“A team dinner sounds nice,” he said, finding Dong-sik in the crowd once again. “But let's not make it a welcoming dinner for me.'' 

“Instead, we’ll celebrate Dong-sik’s promotion as an assistant manager.” At his statement, Dong-sik slowly lifted his head, giving In-woo a perplexed look. Everyone had their eyes on him as he cautiously pointed a finger to himself.

“Me?”

  
  
  
  
  


The company dinner was as expected. Dull and of no interest to In-woo. Of course, he had anticipated this therefore he had no room to complain.

“Alright, when I say “Mr Seo In-woo” I want you to say “welcome!” he gave Mr. Gong a small smile (at last he remembered the man’s name) as he recited the words. Glasses clinked and In-woo murmured a thank you for the gesture. He placed his shot glass on the table, eyes shifting towards the direction where Dong-sik was sitting. His only form of entertainment. He didn’t seem much interested in the celebration, which In-woo could easily guess why.

_ We’re the same.  _ In-woo felt his body hum with satisfaction at the thought. Him and Dong-sik-- to think there was someone out there who could understand him. Just a few months ago, In-woo would have never imagined the possibility. He uttered an excuse to the nearby employees as he got up from his seat, making his way to the table where Dong-sik was seated.

“Nice to meet you, sir!” he respectfully nodded to the people beside him, accepting proposals for a drink and occasionally clinking cups when needed. His eyes stayed glued on one person though, and when he noticed Dong-sik get up from his seat to leave, he too made his way towards the exit.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The fresh air was welcoming as In-woo stepped out of the stuffy restaurant.  _ What a relief.  _ Being around so many dimwits made his skin crawl. He cautiously approached Dong-sik but quickly stopped when he noticed the other was speaking on the phone. 

“--you never listen!” the sudden yell surprised him. He'd never heard Dong-sik speak like that before. Intrigued, he carefully stepped closer making sure not to get noticed by the other man.

“Still, you need to tell me first,” an exasperated sigh fell from his lips before continuing to speak.

“Can’t you at least treat me more as an equal? You can’t-- Hey!” he took the phone from his ear and stared at the screen almost in disbelief.

“Aish-! Seriously?!” 

He angrily tossed the phone to the floor, pulling at his hair and reciting curse words In-woo wasn’t sure even existed. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the man’s child-like antics.

“It seems the phone call didn’t go as expected,” Dong-sik jumped at his voice, eyes comically wide as he turned to acknowledge him. 

“Wha- uh yeah, I guess,” In-woo stepped beside him, immensely thankful that no one had decided to follow them outside. They stood in silence watching the cars pass them by. 

“It was getting boring, huh?” Dong-sik remained quiet, staring at the floor with a solemn expression on his face. 

“I’m sorry. The team dinner is for you and I haven't even congratulated you yet, Director Seo.” 

“Don't worry. And, you don't have to call me so formally. In-woo is fine,” Dong-sik eyed him curiously, eyebrows furrowed at his statement. He made the action to speak but instead faced the street once again, shuffling the pebbles on the ground with the tip of his shoe.

“Is there something you want to say?” The shuffling stopped as Dong-sik faced him, a small frown on his face.

“Why...why did you promote me?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, why me? I haven’t really shown any...exceptional behaviour--”

He stopped for a moment glancing at a nearby crossroad before continuing.

“I mean, It’s just unexpected. The promotion.”

In-woo smiled nodding his head.

“So...you don't want it?”

“Ah, no that’s not what I meant! I'm just confused, that's all,” In-woo could understand his concerns. He was sure that if he had been in his position, he'd be doing the same thing.  _ Being cautious is good. _

“Well, I feel that Dong-sik-ssi and I are very similar. Therefore, placing you in this position was something I believed would benefit us both.” Dong-sik didn't seem very convinced, inspecting In-woo carefully before turning his attention back to the ground. 

“I see…” they stood in silence once again, though this time the tensions from earlier weren't as palpable. In-woo didn’t mind this. Somehow, when he was with Dong-sik, everything seemed much more pleasant to him, even the large group of noisy employees conversing in the background.

“Dong-sik--” he was interrupted by the jingle of a ringtone. Dong-sik patted down his pockets before realizing the device was still on the ground vibrating insistently against the concrete.

“Excuse me,” he picked up the phone and answered it.

“What?” he scooted to the side forming a small distance between himself and In-woo.

“Yeah, I'm waiting outside.”

In-woo watched the road ahead of him hoping not to seem too interested in the call.  _ Could it be the same person from earlier? _

“Alright, see you soon.” the call ended and Dong-sik slowly shuffled back to his spot placing the phone in his pocket.

“I’m sorry, were you going to say something earlier?”

“Well, I was going to ask Dong-sik-ssi to accompany me for dinner tomorrow.” Dong-sik paused, cocking his head to the side before answering.

“Ah right, you've mentioned that before…”

“Does Dong-sik already have plans?”

“Oh, no I don't!”

“Good. I'll let you know the time and place then,” he gave him a smile, satisfied with having secured their much awaited dinner. Well, even if the other man did have plans In-woo wasn’t going to let him get away so easily.

A honk startled them as a black car stopped in front of the restaurant flashing its lights impatiently.

“Oh, that’s my ride. Have a good night Director Seo,” he bowed and gave In-woo a small wave as he walked over to the all too familiar black SUV. In-woo waved back silently watching the car drive away into the night. There were still so many things he needed to know about Dong-sik-- and the thought of discovering each mystery thrilled him. 

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the notebook, content with just holding it in his hands once again. By now he’d already memorized every indent-- every mark or scratch on its battered cover. He cracked it open, spreading his hands against the yellowed sheets as he carefully turned the blank pages. 

It all seemed like a dream and yet it wasn’t. It was real-- as real as the stars that glittered against the dark night sky.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah i had to refer back to the drama for this chap and i felt it took away a bit of my own creativity sooo...for future chapters i won't try to do that as often haha;; i think i def. like it better when i just right whatever comes to mind. let me know what you guys think! :) Thank you for reading~~ <3

**Author's Note:**

> I know this chapter was a bit short but I promise future ones will be longer. Also, right now I'm just trying to get a feel of the characters so it might not be completely accurate to how they act in the drama so please bear with me for now...; I really want to nail the way they think and talk so it makes the story seem much more believable! I will try my best :)
> 
> Anywho, let me know if you have any specific requests for fanfics you might want me to write. I have a lot of time on my hands right now so I'll be working on this stuff full time for now..! Hope you all stick around, thank you!~~~~


End file.
